APPENDIX 7 INDICATIVE SCHEDULES Live & Learn Environmental Education Page 1 2 Denison Road, Suva, Fiji Islands Tel: +679 331 5868 Fax: +679 330 5868 Email: livelearn@is.com.fj T6123-REG Promoting Effective Water Management Policies and Practices (Phase 3) Pilot Demonstration Activity of Developing and Testing Environmental Education and Awareness Methodologies and Tools Learning Circle Facilitators’ Guide to Promote Sustainable Development in the Tonle Sap Tonle Sap – Cambodia October 2004 Prepared for the Asian Development Bank A Live & Learn Environmental Education Publication Disclaimer: This report was prepared by consultants for the Asian Development Bank. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in it do not necessarily represent the views of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) or those of its member governments. ADB does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this report and accepts no responsibility for any consequences of their use. T6123-REG: Promoting Effective Water Management Policies and Practices (Phase 3) Pilot Demonstration Activity for Developing and Testing Environmental Education and Awareness Methodologies and Tools Learning Circles Facilitators’ Guide to Promote Sustainable Development in the Tonle Sap Live & Learn Environmental Education Page 1 2 Denison Road, Suva, Fiji Islands Tel: +679 331 5868 Fax: +679 330 5868 Email: livelearn@is.com.fj TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION 2 II. THE ROLE OF A LEARNING CIRCLE FACILITATOR .3 III. PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENTS .4 Contact details 4 Taking notes 4 Organising visiting speakers .4 Evaluation .5 IV. THE FIRST MEETING .6 1. Getting to know each other .6 2. Setting some ground rules 8 3. Agreeing on some objectives 9 4. Developing ‘road maps’ .10 5. Agreeing on themes/topics/priorities 11 6. Practical arrangements 11 7. What can we do? .11 8. Wind-up 13 V. FACILITATOR RESOURCE #1: WHAT DOES YOUR ROLE INVOLVE? 14 VI. FACILITATOR RESOURCE #2: SUGGESTIONS FOR KEEPING THINGS ON TRACK .15 VII. FACILITATOR RESOURCE #3: TIPS FOR DEALING WITH CONFLICT AND EMOTION .17 VIII. FACILITATOR RESOURCE #4: ENCOURAGING PARTICIPATION, DEALING WITH DOMINANT PEOPLE .21 IX. FACILITATOR RESOURCE #5: USING QUESTIONS EFFECTIVELY .23 X. GETTING ORGANISED #1: LEARNING CIRCLE REGISTRATION FORM 25 XI. GETTING ORGANISED #2: PARTICIPANT EVALUATION FORM 26 XII. GETTING ORGANISED #3: FACILITATOR’S EVALUATION FORM 28 XIII. GETTING ORGANISED #4: FACILITATOR EVALUATION FOR STUDY CIRCLE PARTICIPANTS 30 XIV. LEARNING CIRCLE RESOURCE SHEET #1: AN INTRODUCTION TO LEARNING CIRCLES 31 XV. LEARNING CIRCLE RESOURCE SHEET #2: HOW ADULTS LEARN .33 XVI. LEARNING CIRCLE RESOURCE SHEET #3: DIALOGUE VERSUS DEBATE 37 T6123-REG: Promoting Effective Water Management Policies and Practices (Phase 3) Pilot Demonstration Activity for Developing and Testing Environmental Education and Awareness Methodologies and Tools Learning Circles Facilitators’ Guide to Promote Sustainable Development in the Tonle Sap Live & Learn Environmental Education Page 2 2 Denison Road, Suva, Fiji Islands Tel: +679 331 5868 Fax: +679 330 5868 Email: livelearn@is.com.fj I. INTRODUCTION This guide provides general background material and suggestions to support you in your role as facilitator. A series of Facilitator Resources provide specific guidance related to your role, covering topics such as • Effective facilitation – what is it and how you can do it • Dealing with conflict, dominating people and encouraging to participation The Learning Circle Resources provide more general background information about learning circles and how adults learn. These might be useful in thinking about how you want to facilitate and in introducing participants to the learning circle. The material might also be of interest to participants. • What is a learning circle? – what does it look like, how does it work, history, its strengths as an approach to learning, problem solving and action • How adults learn The Getting Organised series contains handouts to assist you with administration, monitoring and evaluation. This guide also provides specific guidance on running the first meeting of the learning circle, which is the time when a group gets to know each other and decides its direction, priorities and how it will work together. There is a companion participant guide to the first meeting called Getting Started. This Facilitator Guide has been designed as a general resource that can be used with any learning circle. Additional guides are planned to assist you to facilitate the specific subjects you will be exploring in this learning circle – ie the work of the group after its first meeting. The material in this guide is a resource for you. Read it through. Use it in whatever way you think will work for you and your group. If you think that some examples need more explanation, then provide this. If you think some material should be dropped, that’s fine too. Go through those parts that you think are most useful a few times. Decide what parts you want to explore with participants. You may want to use some of the background material as a basis for introducing participants to the idea of learning circles or discussing how adults learn. Issues and challenges facing your community may not be the same as those in another area. So each module provides opportunities for participants to adapt the material to their local situation. Encourage participants (you included) to keep their own media file of newspaper and magazine articles on issues that interest them - so your group can see how the issues you are exploring are dealt with and discussed in your area. The main role of a learning circle facilitator is organisational; actual facilitation plays a secondary role. In many learning circles, people take turns to facilitate the leaning circle meetings, once they see how the trained facilitator has facilitated. This is a valuable way of encouraging involvement, de-mystifying the role of facilitator and extending the range of skills people can build through their participation in the learning circle. T6123-REG: Promoting Effective Water Management Policies and Practices (Phase 3) Pilot Demonstration Activity for Developing and Testing Environmental Education and Awareness Methodologies and Tools Learning Circles Facilitators’ Guide to Promote Sustainable Development in the Tonle Sap Live & Learn Environmental Education Page 3 2 Denison Road, Suva, Fiji Islands Tel: +679 331 5868 Fax: +679 330 5868 Email: livelearn@is.com.fj II. THE ROLE OF A LEARNING CIRCLE FACILITATOR As a facilitator of a learning circle, your main role is to help the group clarify what it wants to focus on and then help keep discussion productive. You are not expected to be an 'expert' or know more than others in the learning circle. An important part of the philosophy of a learning circle is that everyone learns from each other and everyone has something to contribute. If you do have expertise in some of the topics you are covering, be careful not to be drawn into the role of ’teacher’. Your most important task is being organised and familiar enough with the issues to help discussion to flow. Going through the material beforehand and thinking a little about it will help you be effective. Your job also includes coordinating (but not necessarily doing) the practical organisation — making sure the group has what it needs for the session (e.g. photocopies of relevant resource material, butcher’s paper and pens). As a facilitator, you can also play an important role in helping the group work well together, setting a positive tone, letting others have their say before expressing your own opinions, and reminding the group of the ‘ground rules’ they have agreed to use in their dealings with one another. The group may decide to share the role of the facilitator so those participants who want to can have a chance to develop their skills in this area. If so, people need to read this guide before they start to facilitate. T6123-REG: Promoting Effective Water Management Policies and Practices (Phase 3) Pilot Demonstration Activity for Developing and Testing Environmental Education and Awareness Methodologies and Tools Learning Circles Facilitators’ Guide to Promote Sustainable Development in the Tonle Sap Live & Learn Environmental Education Page 4 2 Denison Road, Suva, Fiji Islands Tel: +679 331 5868 Fax: +679 330 5868 Email: livelearn@is.com.fj III. PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENTS There are a few practical things that will help the learning circle work well and provide the opportunity for the group to contribute to broader community discussion. Contact details The registration form included with this guide is designed to record some details for each participant (name, address, other contact details like phone or email.). This information enables members of the group to contact each other between meetings — for example, if a meeting time needs to be changed or someone wants to organise an extra activity. The registration form allows people to choose not to make their contact details available to other learning circle members. It also allows them to indicate if they are willing for their details to be provided to other learning circle groups, to enable networking and sharing of information. Taking notes Recording the work of the learning circle can help people to focus. It makes it possible for the group to see how its views have developed and to share experiences with other groups. Written notes also make it easier to include any initiatives or activities undertaken by the group in a newsletter or on a website, so learning circles can learn from one another and participants see a visible outcome from their activities. Keeping notes also shows that the knowledge and experiences of members is valued. Talk to the group about how they want to organise note taking. It doesn't need to be a big job. Notes could cover such things as: • what the group covered/discussed • key issues/ideas • points of particular controversy • issues where participants agreed to disagree • agreed action outcomes, activities, eg. visiting speakers, videos watched by the group etc. If the group thinks it is a good idea, then decide whether one person will take on the job or it will be shared around. At the end of the learning circle, the group might want to consider sending the notes to a local library or other community resource centre so they provide a resource for other community groups or researchers. Organising visiting speakers Hearing direct from people who are actively involved in an issue can be a good way to find out about a subject quickly. If the group wants to invite a speaker — say a local community representative, a local politician, an expert in crime prevention — be sensitive to the commitment this involves. Ask the group to think about how it might recognise that the speaker has contributed their time - eg provide a meal. You might also think about joining with another learning circle group in your area when planning a guest speaker, to reduce the demand on a speaker's time. T6123-REG: Promoting Effective Water Management Policies and Practices (Phase 3) Pilot Demonstration Activity for Developing and Testing Environmental Education and Awareness Methodologies and Tools Learning Circles Facilitators’ Guide to Promote Sustainable Development in the Tonle Sap Live & Learn Environmental Education Page 5 2 Denison Road, Suva, Fiji Islands Tel: +679 331 5868 Fax: +679 330 5868 Email: livelearn@is.com.fj If the group has identified someone they would like to speak to the group, and that person has agreed to come, it is a good idea for you to make contact before the meeting to see if the speaker needs transport to and from the meeting. You can also give the speaker an idea of the range of people in your group before the meeting, so they can prepare appropriately. Evaluation Make time during the group's final meeting to fill in the evaluation sheets included with this Facilitator Guide (see Getting Organised #2, 3 & 4). Evaluation is an important part of the learning circle process. It provides an opportunity for participants to reflect on their work and their learning. Organisers get feedback about what worked well and any changes that need to be made to the resource materials or how the learning circles are conducted and supported. T6123-REG: Promoting Effective Water Management Policies and Practices (Phase 3) Pilot Demonstration Activity for Developing and Testing Environmental Education and Awareness Methodologies and Tools Learning Circles Facilitators’ Guide to Promote Sustainable Development in the Tonle Sap Live & Learn Environmental Education Page 6 2 Denison Road, Suva, Fiji Islands Tel: +679 331 5868 Fax: +679 330 5868 Email: livelearn@is.com.fj IV. THE FIRST MEETING Your role and input at the first meeting is perhaps the most important part of your job as facilitator. The following section provides some suggestions on how you might run this session. A key aim of the first meeting of a learning circle is for people to get to know one another and for you (the facilitator) to explore participants’ main interests, why they have joined the group and what they want to achieve. Participants then need to plan and agree on their objectives and how they will work together. Getting Started is a companion guide to the first meeting for participants. The following section is designed to help you work with the participant guide. 1. Getting to know each other Facilitators might consider bringing some food and drink to the first meeting, or organising for participants to each bring a plate to share. If not all members of the group know each other, mixing informally over refreshments can be a good way to get things started. Name tags can be useful too. If you don’t know everyone, introduce yourself and talk informally with others about issues they are interested in. Your objective is to welcome everyone and create a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Once everyone has arrived, introduce yourself and the learning circle. You need to decide how much time you want to spend giving an overview of the general principles of a learning circle, and the objectives of this specific learning circle program. The resource sheets give you some background material to draw on. You might decide to be very brief and provide some handouts for people to read at their leisure, or lead people in a discussion of learning circles as an approach to adult learning. Then participants need to get to know one another. Activity: Who are we? Ask people to pair up with the person sitting next to them. One participant asks questions of the other before switching roles. Find out something about the person, their background, what they do, any special interests and why they have joined the learning circle. After five minutes or so, each member of the group should introduce their pair to the larger group. Alternatively, you might begin with each person telling a story that conveys some things they think are important about who they are and what they believe. It might be helpful for someone to take brief notes as each person talks. Allow time for follow-up questions to each other. T6123-REG: Promoting Effective Water Management Policies and Practices (Phase 3) Pilot Demonstration Activity for Developing and Testing Environmental Education and Awareness Methodologies and Tools Learning Circles Facilitators’ Guide to Promote Sustainable Development in the Tonle Sap Live & Learn Environmental Education Page 7 2 Denison Road, Suva, Fiji Islands Tel: +679 331 5868 Fax: +679 330 5868 Email: livelearn@is.com.fj Activity: Active listening Explain that an important principle in discussion circles is respect for other participants and one aspect of this is being an active listener. Many people believe they are good listeners but listening is a skill that needs to be practiced and refined. People who participate in the follow exercise are often pleasantly surprised to have the experience of really being listened to for an extended period of time. Choose an issue that you think most people in the group will be able to talk about. Write a few questions on butchers paper that help people connect with the issue, such as: • Why are you concerned about this issue? • How would you describe the issue? • How have your experiences effected your opinions about this issue? • What effect do other people’s opinions have on your views? Ask everyone to reserve discussion about the exercise itself until it is completed. Ask people to pair with someone they do not know well. One person will talk for three minutes without interruption in response to the questions you have written while the other listens. After three minutes the partners reverse roles. Explain that the task for each listener is to give full attention to the person talking and to say as little as possible. The listeners speak only to ask questions in order to understand better what is being said, not to give advice or express opinions. The listeners should demonstrate active listening through body language (nodding head in agreement, facial expressions etc.) or short phrases (“I see”, “Yes, I understand” etc) When each pair is finished, go through the following questions. A question for all • What are your main reactions to this exercise? In what ways was your experience of this listening exercise different from the first exercise where you had to introduce your pair? Questions for speakers • What was it like to be really listened to? • What types of phrases or body language did your partner use to communicate that he or she was listening well? Questions for listeners • What was it like to focus completely on someone else’s ideas, without thinking about how you would respond? • How would you rate your listening skills on a scale of 1 (poor) to 10 (excellent)? T6123-REG: Promoting Effective Water Management Policies and Practices (Phase 3) Pilot Demonstration Activity for Developing and Testing Environmental Education and Awareness Methodologies and Tools Learning Circles Facilitators’ Guide to Promote Sustainable Development in the Tonle Sap Live & Learn Environmental Education Page 8 2 Denison Road, Suva, Fiji Islands Tel: +679 331 5868 Fax: +679 330 5868 Email: livelearn@is.com.fj 2. Setting some ground rules The group needs to agree on some basic ground rules for conducting their meetings – for example listening to one another, letting everyone have a say, respecting people’s right to hold different views. You can do this step later, after the group has decided on its general directions. But the advantage of doing it now is that you have a framework of principles to assist you in managing the process of objective setting. Activity: how will we work together Introduce the suggestions below (they are also included in Getting Started), noting that these are some ground rules that other learning circle groups have found useful. Invite the group to review the suggestions and brainstorm additions and changes. The main thing is to agree on some principles that everyone feels comfortable with. Make sure any changes are noted and known to each participant, and display the rules where everyone can see them – eg on butcher’s paper on the wall. If you are short of space, just write up the main point (eg the words in bold). 1. Listen carefully and actively, making sure the group hears what each member has to offer. 2. Maintain an open mind. Be open to exploring ideas that you might have rejected in the past. 3. Try hard to understand the point of view of those with whom you disagree. Understanding an opposing viewpoint doesn't mean adopting it, or even being sympathetic. In fact, it can make you a better advocate for your own views. 4. Help keep the discussion on track. Don't leave it all up to the facilitator and try to make your own comments relate to the main points being discussed. 5. Speak freely, but don't dominate. If you are a good talker, encourage others. If you tend to be quiet, try to have your say more often. You need to find ways of ensuring all voices are heard. 6. Talk to the group as a whole, not the facilitator. Feel free to ask questions directly to other group members, especially ones who aren't saying much. 7. If you don't understand, say so. Chances are, other people will feel the same way. 8. Value your own experience and understanding. Everyone has a contribution to make. 9. Be prepared to disagree. Conflict is healthy and can help a group progress. But focus on the issue, not the person, you disagree with. 10. Try not to become angry or aggressive; it might discourage others from putting forward their ideas. T6123-REG: Promoting Effective Water Management Policies and Practices (Phase 3) Pilot Demonstration Activity for Developing and Testing Environmental Education and Awareness Methodologies and Tools Learning Circles Facilitators’ Guide to Promote Sustainable Development in the Tonle Sap Live & Learn Environmental Education Page 9 2 Denison Road, Suva, Fiji Islands Tel: +679 331 5868 Fax: +679 330 5868 Email: livelearn@is.com.fj 3. Agreeing on some objectives Participants in a learning circle have already decided that they want to know more about an issue or address a problem that concerns them, their family or community. They also need to agree on some broad objectives so that the learning circle meets the needs and interests of its members, and decide what particular topics the group will focus on and in how much detail. Explain that the group does not need to stick to rigidly to the learning circle material. It is a resource, to be used as the group sees fit. It’s up to the group to decide whether to focus on one or two modules or sections of modules, or work through each one from start to finish. Start by taking the group through some of the topics and issues covered in the learning circle, using Road Maps (see over) if you have them. Then refer to what people said at the start of the session about why they joined the learning circle. Ask people to build on this and talk about what they want to achieve by the end of the learning circle. Note down the main points. Try to agree on four or five key objectives. The aim is to give participants the opportunity to discuss and agree on what they want to get out of the learning circle. You’ll probably find a lot of people say they want to learn more about an issue, or find a solution to a problem they are facing. Some may have more specific objectives. If the group can come to a collective agreement, this is great. But it is not essential. All participants need to take responsibility for meeting their own learning objectives. The flexibility of the learning circle should enable everyone to pursue their own goals, even if this involves doing some extra work outside the group. It should be possible to agree on some common objectives, plus some that are supported by a majority of members. You might find it helpful to record the group’s agreements in a table like the one below and make a copy for each participant. This should provide you and participants with a firm base to work from. Who are we, what are our interests Learning objectives Topics and themes we will focus on Practical arrangements About halfway through your meetings, check if the group is on track with its objectives. At the end of the learning circle, as part of the evaluation, the group will have an opportunity to discuss whether the objectives have been realised. [...]... Education and Awareness Methodologies and Tools Learning Circles Facilitators Guide to Promote Sustainable Development in the Tonle Sap XIV LEARNING CIRCLE RESOURCE SHEET #1: AN INTRODUCTION TO LEARNING CIRCLES A learning circle is a group of people who meet regularly to discuss and learn about issues that concern them, their communities or the wider society Learning circles have been used by a wide range... and Tools Learning Circles Facilitators Guide to Promote Sustainable Development in the Tonle Sap 4 Developing ‘road maps’ A ‘Road Map’ is a way of providing brief overview information about the modules/sessions in a learning circle It can help you and the participants find your way through any resource material to be used for the learning circle Developing a Road Map for your learning circle can... Demonstration Activity for Developing and Testing Environmental Education and Awareness Methodologies and Tools Learning Circles Facilitators Guide to Promote Sustainable Development in the Tonle Sap X GETTING ORGANISED #1: LEARNING CIRCLE REGISTRATION FORM This information will enable members of the learning circle to contact each other between meetings — for example, if a meeting time needs to be changed or... Environmental Education and Awareness Methodologies and Tools Learning Circles Facilitators Guide to Promote Sustainable Development in the Tonle Sap Emotion, anger and sensitivity People will come to a learning circle with a wide variety of interests, views, attitudes and personal experiences This is one of the features that makes learning circles such effective environments within which to discuss,... Methodologies and Tools Learning Circles Facilitators Guide to Promote Sustainable Development in the Tonle Sap OK, but what kinds of outcomes might there be? There are as many possible outcomes as your imagination allows You might: • • • • • • • Enjoy the learning circle as a social event, learn more and develop more confidence Discuss the issues you explore in the learning circle with friends, family... the learning process and have some control over, and input into, what they are learning This lies at the heart of how learning circles work Most people have some knowledge that they can contribute to a group learning situation Learning circles work best when they maximise opportunities for participants to demonstrate this Linking ideas to life experiences Adults bring life experiences to their learning. .. Methodologies and Tools Learning Circles Facilitators Guide to Promote Sustainable Development in the Tonle Sap XIII GETTING ORGANISED #4: FACILITATOR EVALUATION FOR STUDY CIRCLE PARTICIPANTS Documentation of action outcomes The facilitator needs to note action outcomes agreed by the group (eg organise a visit to our local member of parliament), at each session and at the end of the learning circle, as part... Education and Awareness Methodologies and Tools Learning Circles Facilitators Guide to Promote Sustainable Development in the Tonle Sap XV LEARNING CIRCLE RESOURCE SHEET #2: HOW ADULTS LEARN Adults learn differently from children and young people This section briefly highlights some factors that help adults learn You may find it useful background information Active learning Adults learn by doing They learn... Demonstration Activity for Developing and Testing Environmental Education and Awareness Methodologies and Tools Learning Circles Facilitators Guide to Promote Sustainable Development in the Tonle Sap XI GETTING ORGANISED #2: PARTICIPANT EVALUATION FORM The impact of this learning circle on you 1 Please circle the response that best reflects your thoughts: Increased No change Decreased My ability to discuss... Methodologies and Tools Learning Circles Facilitators Guide to Promote Sustainable Development in the Tonle Sap 6 When were meetings held? (eg weekday evening, weekend day) 7 Did guest speakers participate in any sessions? If so, which sessions? 8 Who were the guests? 9 What were they asked to do? 10 Did the group find the involvement of guest speakers useful? 11 Did group members receive learning circle material . Environmental Education and Awareness Methodologies and Tools Learning Circle Facilitators Guide to Promote Sustainable Development in the Tonle Sap Tonle. Environmental Education and Awareness Methodologies and Tools Learning Circles Facilitators Guide to Promote Sustainable Development in the Tonle Sap Live